I recently came across Vietnamese sugarcane shrimp at Trader Joe’s and had to pick up a frozen bag to try. Unfortunately, I found that the taste and texture were a bit off.
Lucky for me, I have fresh sugarcane growing in the backyard. It was time to harvest and make chao tom.
What is Chao Tom?
Chạo tôm is a classic Vietnamese dish where seasoned shrimp paste is wrapped around sugarcane sticks, then grilled or fried until golden.
Originating from central Vietnam, this dish can be served as an appetizer on its own or part of a main course for a more complete meal.
How to Eat Chao Tom?
To eat Chạo Tôm, simply slide the shrimp paste off the sugarcane skewer and enjoy.
You can discard the sugarcane or chew on it to enjoy the sweet juices — just be sure to spit out the woody parts since they’re not meant to be eaten. It’s not very ladylike but it’s oh so delicious as a sweet chaser.
How to Serve Chao Tom?
Chạo tôm can be enjoyed in several different ways:
- Serve them on their own as a tasty appetizer or with a thick Thai sweet chili dipping sauce.
- For a full DIY Vietnamese meal, enjoy them as Chạo Tôm Cuốn. Wrap the shrimp paste in lettuce or rice paper with fine woven rice vermicelli noodles (bánh hỏi), fresh Vietnamese herbs and lettuce. Dip the wrap into Vietnamese dipping sauce (nước chấm) for the perfect bite.
- Add it as an additional component to Bún Thịt Nướng, the popular Vietnamese noodle salad.
- Lastly, swap it in for the steamed egg meatloaf (chả trứng hấp) or add it as another tasty topping in Cơm Tấm, Vietnamese broken rice dish.
What You Will Need
To make Vietnamese sugarcane shrimp, gather the following ingredients:
- Shrimp: Any size shrimp will do. Get peeled and deveined shrimp to make the recipe quicker.
- Pork paste (Giò Sống): Traditional chạo tôm combines ground shrimp with pork paste (giò sống) for better flavor and texture as shrimp on its own would be dry. You can find pork paste in the freezer section of most Vietnamese grocery stores, and sometimes at bánh mì shops. If you don’t eat pork, you can leave it out.
- Tapioca starch or corn starch (optional): Just a bit to help hold everything together and to give the shrimp paste a smooth, velvety texture.
- Green onions and minced lemongrass: Provide the amazing aroma. If you don’t have lemongrass, you can omit.
- Salt, fish sauce, sugar, ground white/black pepper, and optional MSG or chicken bouillon powder: The seasonings to flavor the shrimp and pork paste.
- Sugar cane: Sugar cane serves as a semi-edible skewer. You can use either fresh or canned sugarcane. Since sugarcane is thick, we’ll need to quarter it to make thinner skewers. If you can’t find sugarcane, lemongrass stalks are a great substitute. Alternatively, you can skip the skewers entirely and roll the shrimp paste into bite-sized balls, but that takes away from the fun of the dish.
- Neutral oil: The shrimp paste can be quite sticky when wrapping it around the sugarcane. Lightly oiling your hands makes it much easier to handle. I’m using vegetable oil, but you can also use other neutral oils like canola, peanut, corn, or avocado oil. Disposable gloves will also make the process much easier.
How to Make Chao Tom
Step 1: Prepare the shrimp mixture
Rinse the shrimp and drain well. If needed, pat them dry with paper towels.
Transfer the shrimp to a large Ziploc bag or mortar, then use a mallet, pestle, or anything heavy to pound them into a paste. This method gives the shrimp that signature bouncy texture.
Transfer the shrimp paste to a mixing bowl, then add the pork paste, tapioca starch, green onions, minced lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar, pepper, and optional MSG. Mix everything until well combined.
If you want to save time, you can also toss everything into a food processor and blend until smooth — which is what I’m doing here. The texture won’t be quite as bouncy, but it’s a lot faster.
RIP, my small yet wonderfully simple Hamilton Beach food processor.
Step 2: Make the skewers
Wearing gloves and oiling your hands will help prevent the mixture from sticking when you’re ready to shape.
Divide the shrimp mixture into 16 equal portions. Take one portion and flatten it in the palm of your hand.
Place a sugarcane skewer on top and mold the shrimp paste around it. You can wrap the mixture at the end of the sugarcane to resemble a lollipop or in the middle to resemble corn on the cob.
Once assembled, transfer the shrimp skewers to an oiled sheet pan and repeat with the remaining mixture. This recipe makes 16 skewers.
Step 3: Cook the skewers
Traditionally, these skewers are first steamed, then pan-fried or grilled to develop a beautiful golden color.
Steaming supposedly helps the shrimp paste hold its shape, preventing it from deflating and becoming wrinkly as it cools.
Personally, I skip steaming and cook them right away for that beautiful color, as I haven’t had any issues. Why dirty another pan anyways?
Go ahead and cook straight away. There are several ways to cook the sugarcane shrimp skewers:
- Air fryer method: Lightly brush the skewers with oil and air fry at 380°F for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Grill method: Preheat the grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grates. Grill the skewers for about 5 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
- Pan-fry method: Heat oil in a pan over medium-high. Cook the skewers, turning often, until golden and crispy (about 5 minutes total).
FAQs and Tips for Success
Can I prepare chạo tôm ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the shrimp mixture a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator.
Aren’t they cute?
Why is my shrimp paste not sticking to the sugarcane?
Make sure the mixture is well blended or well smashed/pounded. When it’s properly beaten to death, the myosin protein in the shrimp creates a sticky paste that clings to the sugarcane… and, frankly, anything else it touches.
Storage & Reheating
Once cooked, store leftover chạo tôm in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
To reheat, grill, air fry, or pan-fry the skewers until they’re heated through and slightly crispy. You can also use the microwave.
If you’re not cooking right away, it’s best to prepare the shrimp and pork mixture in advance and store it separately; don’t assemble.
If you prefer to assemble in advance but not cook the skewers, make sure to store them in the fridge or freezer without them touching.
Print
Vietnamese Sugarcane Shrimp (Chạo Tôm)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 16 skewers 1x
Description
Sweet and savory shrimp and pork paste wrapped around sugarcane skewers, grilled or pan-fried until golden and crispy. Serve as an appetizer or as a tasty addition to classic Vietnamese dishes.
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 4 oz pork paste (Gio Song, see notes)
- 1 teaspoon tapioca starch (optional)
- 2 green onions (thinly sliced)
- 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG or 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper or white pepper
- Vegetable oil or other neutral oil (to prevent sticking and pan frying)
- 4 2.5-inch sugar cane pieces (quartered) or 8 stalks lemongrass (halved)
Instructions
- Prepare the shrimp mixture: Rinse the shrimp and drain well. If needed, pat them dry with paper towels. Transfer the shrimp to a large Ziploc bag or mortar, then use a mallet, pestle, or anything heavy to pound them into a paste. Move the shrimp paste to a mixing bowl, then add the pork paste, tapioca starch, green onions, minced lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar, pepper, and optional MSG. Mix everything until well combined. Alternatively, toss everything together into a food processor and blend until smooth. The texture won’t be quite as bouncy, but it’s a lot faster.
- Make the skewers: Wear disposable gloves and lightly oil your hands. Divide the shrimp mixture into 16 equal portions. Take one portion and flatten it in the palm of your hand. Place a sugarcane skewer on top and mold the shrimp paste around it. You can wrap the mixture at the end of the sugarcane to resemble a lollipop or in the middle to resemble corn on the cob. Once assembled, transfer the shrimp skewers to an oiled sheet pan and repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Air fryer method: Lightly brush the skewers with oil and air fry at 380°F for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Grill method: Preheat the grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grates. Grill the skewers for about 5 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
- Pan-fry method: Heat a light layer of oil in a pan over medium-high. Cook the skewers, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy (about 5 minutes total). Make sure you use a non-stick skillet!
- Serve: Enjoy them straight off the skewer as an appetizer or in a full meal by removing the shrimp paste from the sugarcane and wrap it in lettuce or rice paper with fresh herbs. Enjoy the rolls with Vietnamese fish sauce (nước chấm) or sweet chili sauce.
Notes
If you don’t eat pork, you can replace the 4 oz of pork paste with 2 oz of more shrimp.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Deep Fry
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
